


Reaching a new

by hiimnew



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-18
Updated: 2018-05-08
Packaged: 2018-09-18 10:13:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9379895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hiimnew/pseuds/hiimnew
Summary: Everything has gone south for seventeen year old beaten up Tony and being around people that made it worse is helping but maybe the others can help Tony before it's too late. That is if they can get close enough to him without him panicking or fighting them.





	1. Chapter 1

It was pouring outside and pitch black except for the flashing lights of police cars and people shouting even reporters were there snapping away and shouting questions as three cops pulled a snarly unkempt Howard stark out in hand cuffs. Tony himself was in the door way unkempt and pretty beat up only he was begging for them not to take away Howard.  
“please stop”  
“I didn’t want this”  
“give back my dad”  
and so, on he was gripping his shirt and hunched over as he was yelling but another officer kept him back so he couldn’t chase after Howard and the officers. Maria was gone left years ago and cut ties to tony and Howard and the last two years all staff was let go just Howard and tony remained in the huge apartment in the skyscraper. The night seemed to drag on for hours as things were sorted out and Howard was taken away and it only got worse when tony refused to go with the officers and social workers ending up beating on of the social workers badly too. Before he was stuffed into cuffs and the back of a police car to take him to the hospital, Tony’s just barley seventeen but he was good at getting out of things which in this case were his handcuffs and then picking the lock on the moving car before opening the door. But the luck ended there as the car screamed to a halt throwing tony around in the back door and the door was closed and locked again and tony was once again put in handcuffs. They were close to the hospital when tony pulled his stunt and even more bad luck was that they had called ahead and had someone there to meet them and a nurse ready to sedate him though the other person didn’t know that. Coulson was that person he was in the emergency room with a few of the kids he had at the time Sam, Bruce, Steve, and Clint had gotten roped into this when Coulson took the emergency call. 

No of them were prepared for the doors to person and two cops struggle to guide a teen into the hospital they kid wasn’t having it he fought tooth and nail screaming his lungs out the hole time. He was soaked and pretty beaten up and his hands were still cuffed. Coulson moved forward at the same time as the nurse and stopped mid step when he saw the needle Sam, Bruce, Steve, and Clint watch horrified as the cops pinned the teens arms to his side and the nurse jammed the needle into his neck. Bruce almost scream when the needle plunged into the teens neck and the kid dropped like a stone in the officer’s arms his whole body sagging and his eyes rolling back into his head before another nurse rushed over with a gurney. They laid the kid on the gurney and took off the cuffs only to replace them with thick straps over his chest, stomach, knees and then his ankles and wrists before they wheeled him out. The two officers sagged into chairs exhausted from the long fit while another one came running in and stopped bent over panting,  
“Please tell me your Coulson” she panted  
“I am” Coulson was in shock as he looked over the scene again there was dirt, blood and water all over the floor staff everywhere scrambling to do their jobs and his charges all shocked Clint was even crying though he didn’t realise it.  
“what the hell was that”  
“sorry my name is sergeant Maria hill, and I called you for the help we desperately need”  
“okay but what happened”  
“we just arrested that boy’s father for horribly abuse against his son and he wasn’t exactly happy we took away his father”  
“and the sedation”  
“the only way we can look after him”  
“I’ll be back first thing in the morning”  
“thank you”

 

Coulson took the boys back to car and drove off making plans for tomorrow maybe brining all his charges with him they were from a variety of situations. All night they sedated tony and kept him strapped down while they treated him and changed him into hospital clothes and placing heated blankets on him. Tony was put in a private room and a floor where not many people were to be sure nothing happens if tony woke up and panicked again or fought them. Like Coulson said he pulled into the hospital parking lot bright and early followed by another car which parked beside him. In Coulson’s car, there was Bruce, Natasha and Sam, in the other car was Sam, Bucky, and Steve which all followed Coulson into the hospital where he checked in and given directions to Tony’s room.  
“hey Coulson” Clint asked  
“yeah Clint”   
“is this about the kid last night’  
“it is. You don’t have to come I if you don’t want to”  
“mmm okay”  
they stepped off the elevator and were greeted by frantic nurses and screaming Coulson quickly followed the nurses and saw the boy from last night had gotten out of all his straps but his ankle and wrist straps. He was screaming and Coulson could see blood spots on his clean clothes and even all bandaged up the kid was putting up a fight.  
‘let me go”  
“fuck off”  
“ill fucking kill you”  
“get away from me”

 

And so, while nurses tried to calm him down and a doctor called for a sedative which made him fight more thinking quickly Coulson begged to have the room and try to work something out with the boy. Reluctantly they agreed and Coulson sighed in relief when the room cleared out looking around he had noticed everyone else had wondered close still weary of the voice. Coulson sighed and walked into the room leaving the door open and came face to face with.. he glanced down at the chart.. he came face to face with Anthony who was not any happier. He was still tugging at his restrains and growling, he was almost covered in bandages some dotted red from the struggle, soft brown curls suck to his forehead and honey brown eyes looked everywhere but at him.   
“hey I’m Coulson sergeant hill called me”  
“fuck you” tug “fuck her” another tug each one harder Anthony’s wrist were red and purple  
“I’m here to help”  
“like fuck you are”  
“I really am”  
Anthony growled low and loud before ramming his head back over and over again setting off an alarm which had nurses running and sedating him again, before leaving Coulson alone in the room. Coulson sat in the chair at the end of the bed and sighed into his hands this was by far the hardest case since Barnes maybe even harder. Slowly the others start drifting into the room and getting comfortable a few times Tony’s monitors went off and a nurse came in to check his vitals. Bruce, Sam, Clint and Steve filled everyone in from last night disgruntled faces appeared before relaxing. It wasn’t until about three in the afternoon that tony started to come around again shifting and giving out little moans catching their attention they sat up straight and waited anxiously. James or Bucky sat closet to tony up at his head he was bent over forearms against his legs his long hair pulled into a messy ponytail the next closet was Natasha on the other side she was curled up in her chair watching intently. Its 3:30 when tony opens his eyes just a bit before trying again and finally opening his eyes and licking his lips before he began tugging at the restraints again. Coulson jumped in,   
“Anthony stop”  
“fuck off”  
“Anthony you can’t get out of them if you don’t behave”  
“I want out”   
and then tony started screaming again trying to forcefully get out of the straps, Coulson jumped up and reach out a hand but it just escalated things, most of the other kids left the room James and Natasha stayed behind. Natasha reached out and gripped his right hand, tony went from struggling against straps to trying to get away from Natasha and hyper ventilating.

 

“hey calm down” her voice was calm  
“Natasha I don’t think” Coulson was cut off by James jumping up placing one knee on the bed and then grabbing Tony’s head between his hands and tony froze it was a shock to everyone in the room.  
“listen to me” James voice was low and rough  
“if I take these off will you at least try not to run away?” James’s ice blue eyes stared directly in Tony’s honey brown ones tony froze mouth opening and closing a few times before he nodded and stuck his bottom lip just a smidge. James gave a ghost of a smile before cold ice grey eyes looked away and James began undoing the restraints with Natasha’s help and soon enough tony was free from the restraints. Slowly and painfully tony sat up and tested his range of motion before sneaking a glance at James who nodded and tony slumped back against the bed the tension in his body lessening a bit. That was until a door banged and everyone startled and a booming voice which was pissed could be heard and tony began franticly pulling out the lines connected to his arms. James and Natasha tried to stop him but it was too late tony was out of the room in a flash and the man was staring right at him with a fury that could put anyone to shame.  
“Anthony” he growled  
“o-Obie “Tony was wiping the blood from the lines off his arms  
“this is what you do. You have ruined everything’ he stormed towards tony who didn’t move even if he was shaking  
‘no Obie I didn’t I swear I didn’t do anything I tried to stop it’ tony was pleading clutching at his shirt   
by then tony and Obie were chest to chest Obie towering over tony he grabbed tony roughly by his shirt and threw him into a wall tony landed with thud and a gasp before Coulson stepped in and police stormed the floor. In the commotion, tony slipped away and began running through halls and down stairs until he was in the parking garage and sneaking out of the hospital and headed in a random direction. Clint and Bruce noticed tony missing first and sent all the others into a frantic search but only James was on the right track but he was doing what he would do in the situation. Unlike tony Bucky was huge over six foot and more muscle than a tank with a shiny metal arm to boot, he had straightest brown hair that hung a bit above his shoulders and had a permanent bitch face and he was 19. When he made it out the side door of the garage he looked left and right before deciding to right further into the maze of alleys and buildings following anything that looked like a clue. Even then if took forever to find tony it was way past sundown and pitch black except for the street lights, Coulson would have put out a bolo by now for them and would still be searching too. Bucky was dressed for the fall weather worn black jeans, combat boots, a t-shirt, hood and then leather jacket, tony however was only wearing a thin white t-shirt and soft thin blue pajama pants. 

When James found him tony was curled into a ball in the corner of an abounded building knees to his chest and harms slumped to his side his head resting against his knees and soft clouds of breath could be seen. James quickly rushed over dropping to his knees kinda hard before touching Tony’s hand there was no reaction so James checked Tony’s neck it was hot and wet with sweat that worried James so he gently lifted Tony’s head. Tony’s eyes were closed and his breathing was shallow and he was running a fever, James was glad he found tony but didn’t have his cell so he couldn’t call Coulson or Maria or fury or well anyone. Instead he tried to roust tony but tony could barely stay conscious and make very weak actions to get away from James as he tugged off his leather jacket and put it on tony making sure tony had his arms in the sleeves for maximum heat.  
‘Anthony ‘James voice like he had heard before was low and rough but it was soothing  
‘no’ tony mumbled weakly James barley heard it  
‘tony I won’t take you back to the hospital but you have to come with me okay ‘James was pleading at this point  
‘mmm’ Tony tried to get away again  
‘I protect you I’ll stay by your side I won’t let you leave my sight’  
finally, tony gave in and weakly nodded and Bucky maneuvered him into a piggy back his hands resting just below Tony’s butt and Tony’s arms hung over James shoulder his face tucked into James’s neck puffing short hot breath against his skin. James started back towards something that was familiar to him so he could get his bearings right occasionally boosting tony up a bit and getting a couple mumble against his neck.it took about a half hour before James saw a familiar site of the subway station he often took when he was out with the others and luckily next to the stairs to go underground was a phone booth. James hiked tony up again before grabbing change from his pocket and putting it into the slot and punching in Coulson’s number not worried about dropping tony because he had set Tony’s wait to his left arm which was his prosthetic metal arm. James mumbled pick up over and over under his breath as he listened to the phone ring and then he felt tony shift against him not letting go over the receiver James looked over his should and rested his head or what he could against Tony’s brown curls before a voice pulled him back to the phone.  
‘hello’  
‘Coulson?’  
‘James? where are you? are you okay? did you find Anthony?’  
‘yeah, yeah I got him took me a long time though, look Phil tony he, he can’t go back to the hospital and he has a fever’  
‘um okay okay tell you what take him back to the compound okay we’ll meet up there’  
‘yeah okay sounds good’   
James hung up and shifted tony back against his back and used both arms to support him while he walked down the stairs two at a time, if he took the train he could be at the compound in thirty minutes. And luckily because it was so late there was hardly anyone around at James scanned his card over the sensor and walked through the gate and stranded on the platform hiking tony up again. Tony had managed to grip James sweater loosely wherever his hand s had ended up and he was warmer not because of the fever but from James body heat which was good. The train arrived quickly and Bucky went into the empty car and sat down moving tony to lay on the bench next to him his head-on James’s leg while James left a hand running through his hair. Sure, enough the train reached where the compound was held quickly and James tugged tony back onto his back and headed out and up onto the street Tony’s face once again against his neck. James didn’t know what to expected but it wasn’t what he was greeted with that’s for sure, Maria, fury, and Coulson were all standing by their cards lights from the compound and sirens lite up the front lawn. 

Clint, Natasha, Bruce, Sam, Steve, were all waiting around watching for anything when they noticed James they began running over to him when they saw tony slumped against James’s back using James’s coat for another layer. This caused a commotion and the adult quickly ran over not like some of them weren’t adults but it’s different anyway they let James know what happened after they all got separated and Coulson had gotten everything tony needed ready on the island kitchen. James listened and then told them his side of the situation as they headed into the kitchen no one taking off shoes because the floors were hardwood and no one was worried about the dirt now. Everyone was concerned for tony was Bucky set him down on the couch and tony slumped to the side crashing into the cushions not able to do anything let along keep his eyes open. Coulson quickly set everyone to jobs they could do to help tony while James slid down against the couch onto the floor his head leaning back against the cushion and Tony’s hand. The night and next day passed quickly full of buzz and figuring out what’s going on it was decided tony would stay in the compound with the others and by the afternoon of the next day Tony’s fever broke. Tony woke up in a strange room a dark grey with black trim the room was empty except for the desk and chair in the room by the window. The bed side table held a bowl and towel along with other things that tony recognized as medicine before touching his forehead pushing back wet curls and got an idea of what happened. Strangely though he wasn’t in hospital clothes and some one changed his bandages he knew that because there was no blood or dirt on them and some of them have been taken off. Tony looked at the clothes he was wearing pulling at them slightly, someone put him in a black t-shirt about two sizes too big and a red pair of sweat pants that oddly enough fit but looked like a girl’s sweatpants. Tony swung his legs over the bed and pushed the blankets away before standing up swaying a bit before gaining his footing and heading to the door only to jump back in shock when its thrown open. In the door was another boy, he had very short black hair and dark skin, he wore a white long sleeve and red gym shorts, the boy was equally surprised to see tony awake. Tony used that moment to push the boy out of the way and took off running down random halls he heard the boy yelling something and then there were footsteps everywhere. 

…….  
Tony rounded a corner at sonic speed and slammed into another body much bigger and harder than his, the other person was quick to react grabbing tony around the waist as they stumbled back.


	2. Chapter 2

Startled tony looked up and came face to face with the boy from before only now his hair was down and messy like he just woke up, which was probably true since the compound had gone from silent to very loud very quickly. Tony quickly tried to back pedal but the arm around his waist was too strong and he just struggled while the other boy rubbed his eyes and loosened his hold a bit.  
‘and where are you going?’ tony knew that voice  
‘none struggle of your struggle business’ tony ground out   
‘ah come on I carried you, you know’   
tony froze and looked down slightly trying to remember what happened after Obie threw him into the wall at the hospital but he only got small quick glimpses as he tried to process everything. He had run and then he hid and felt hot like something was wrong and then he couldn’t remember waking up, but he remembered soft hands and warmth and a back but nothing after that. Tony had begun shaking in James grip making James look down at him seeing Tony’s eye flicker back and forth trying to process and remember the more it seemed he couldn’t the more he began to shake.  
‘this is wrong, this wrong, this is wrong’ tony began repeating it like a mantra tugging at his curls forgetting James was there  
‘whoa hey, stop you’re going to hurt yourself’ James arm retreated from Tony’s waist and went to join his other hand trying to gently get tony to let go of his hair  
‘what? Why? How? I don’t understand” tony ground out and he continued to mumble to himself   
James sighed and gently tugged tony to the ground making him sit on the floor before he quickly ran off to find someone hoping tony wouldn’t run or hurt himself again, he needed to hurry. James quickly found Steve who went to get Coulson while Bruce and Natasha followed James back only the scene had changed tony was on his knees bent over hands in his hair and forehead to the ground. James quickly dropped and skidded on his knees stopping next to tony trying to get a grip on Tony’s hands but tony had a good grip on the chocolate curls, Natasha quickly moved to help James and Bruce went to the front of tony. He bent down and tried to see if he could see anything but tony was curled up to tight but he did hear something, Tony’s mantra had changed. Instead he was mumbling things he knew like his street, his number, his birthday, his mother’s name and so on like he was trying to see how much he could remember but got stuck on repeat. Bruce looked up when Coulson and Steve came around the corner and just as they rounded Natasha and James had finally managed to pry Tony’s hands out of his hair. Natasha was holding Tony’s hand while she brushed curls away from his face and James filled Coulson in before Coulson dug out his phone and called Maria maybe she had some insider knowledge or knew someone that did. In the mean time, they had to try and get tony up and out of whatever he was in but that was going to be harder than it sounded. It took soft words and soft touches to get tony to stop muttering but he didn’t uncurl or move he just dug his nails into James and Natasha’s hands, both felt it and winced slightly he had a strong grip. Maria had put Coulson on the phone with someone that worked for Tony’s father before he cut tony off from the world and had known tony, their name was Angie and Coulson knew that name is a friend of Peggy’s. Peggy was Steve’s aunt and often came to visit so he hoped getting Angie on the phone or over to the compound would work, he typed in her number and waited.  
‘hello?’ Angie had the voice was soft but clear   
‘is this Angie?’ Coulson asked and James noticed James blink at the name  
‘yes, who is this?’ she sounded suspicion  
‘my name is Coulson; I know Peggy and I currently have Anthony with me and we have a bit of a situation concerning him’  
‘Anthony?! You have him?’   
‘yes ma’am’   
‘what do I do?’   
‘well if you could come by this address later that would be great but if you could take to him that would very helpful’  
‘please put him on’  
Coulson placed the phone next to Tony’s head and put it on speaker  
“Anthony? Come on honey bear? Say something please’ she was pleading on the other line  
‘Angie?’ tony voice was rough but clear enough for everyone to hear  
‘hey baby boy’ she gave a weak laugh tony uncurled a bit  
‘Angie where are you?’ tony was scared that much was clear  
‘ill be there soon, I promise Howard can’t keep me away anymore’  
‘he can’t go away Obie is so mad. So many people are gonna be mad. I messed up Angie I messed up big time’  
‘no Anthony, tony listen to me. Nothing is your fault, no one is going to lay a finger on you’  
‘Angie but I’  
‘no now behave a little bit before I get there please’  
‘okay’ 

 

tony ended the call and sat up rubbed his hands over his face and took note everyone that had gathered around, and there was a good number of people some of who tony sort of recognized. Coulson took back the phone and called someone else walking away trusting the other teens to look out for tony, a blonde boy who was on the short side with hearing aids was sitting against the wall to his left knees to his chest. Another blonde boy stood behind him looking like a lost puppy and the boy from this morning was looking sheepish from next to the other boy, another boy was sitting in front of him legs crossed and leaning back on his arms sighing in relief. Tony recognized the two the red-haired girl on his right giving him a small smile before stretching her limbs and then the other boy was from the hospital and carried him hear. He was sitting one leg crossed the other propped up his head leaned on his propped knee as he watched tony who was known very uncomfortable with the situation he put himself in. a gentle hand was laid on his right arm and tony looked over to the girl curls bouncing slightly she smiled before pointing to the boy in front of him.  
‘that’s Bruce, I’m Natasha, that’s James or Bucky, that’s Clint, and that’s Steve and Sam.” She pointed to each on in turn they would nod or wave at him, he liked her voice  
‘I recognize you pointing to Natasha and you’ he pointed at James who gave a soft smile  
‘yeah some of the others were there when you were brought to the hospital so they are a little concerned’ Natasha said giving Tony’s arm a small squeeze  
‘must have look hella scary’ tony muttered getting finicky flash backs of that night  
‘yeah kinda freaked us out’ the boy in front of him, no Bruce said giving a soft laugh  
‘gotta say you sure are fast’ Sam said   
‘and strong’ Clint added  
tony nodded before furrowing his brows and blinking something was wrong tony raised his thumb to his mouth and pressed the top of it to his lip while he began biting the nail trying to think of what pieces were. He phased out for well he doesn’t know how long but he was brought back when a hand pulled away his hand getting him to stop biting making him jump a bit but then licking his lips he tasted metal and looked down at his nail and had made it bleed. James was still holding Tony’s hand down softly so that if tony wanted to he could pull away, but he was still dazed. ‘was I drugged’ tony thought and then another ‘why don’t I remember anything just pieces’

‘you okay?’ that was Steve Tony’s brain supplied  
‘no. no. no, no, no , no’ tony repeated and James noticed tony slipping away again to the tugged tony towards his startling tony back to reality but not fast enough he landed face first into James chest. There was a soft umph and then groan from tony as he pulled his head back and rubbed his nose, he gave James a glare but James just patted his head like a dog and Tony’s bottom lip jutted out into a pout. Natasha took the moment to help tony up and then told him that he could use her room to freshen up and change into some real clothes, before tony could even open his mouth she was already dragging him away and towards what he guessed was her room. Natasha closed the door behind the and began looking for something tony took the time to look around it looked like a nice room warm colors walls covered photos and posters shelves lined with trophies and trinkets. Natasha came back and handed him a bundle of clothes before showing tony the bathroom and how the shower worked before she left closing the bathroom door behind her.

Once alone tony blinked his mind catching up he dropped the clothes onto the sink counter and turned on the water while he waited for the water to het tony gingerly took off his clothes pausing when he was in boxers and looking into the mirror. He looks awful, his brown curls were greasy and limp, his brown eyes were red and his left eye was healing from a black eye. His neck hand the imprint of fingers and it didn’t get better healing cuts and bruises cover torso, legs and arms, tony sighed in defeat and stepped into the shower after shedding his boxers and relaxed under the water. He stood under the water just soaking for five minutes before he began washing his hair and gently washing his body minding the bruises and cuts. It was a total of ten minutes of straight cleaning before tony was clean enough to get out of the shower wrapping a towel around his waist he took a second to his hair. Even wet his brown curls didn’t lie flat they still bounced even if they were wet and hanging from his head, but tony simply carried on drying himself before dressing in the close Natasha gave him. She had given him a tight pair of red jean with a few rips in them and a grey long sleeve which was a size too big for him. Tony gave his head one last shake throwing water drops here and there before stepping out of the bathroom his clothes in the hamper behind the door, Natasha was waiting for him sitting on her bed ankles crossed knees apart and hands down loose fingers folded. When tony stepped out Natasha smiled and grabbed his hand again pulling him from the room and back thought the halls, he noticed she changed too, a simple black t-shirt and black legging with fuzzy socks. They came to what tony thinks is a living room but it looks like someone built a living room in an air hanger and noticed the other everyone had changed and gotten on with the morning. 

Steve, Clint, Sam, and Bruce were doing breakfast, Coulson was doing what tony thinks is paper work and James is not there, Tony’s eyes scanned the area but he was right James not in fact in the room. Natasha led tony into the room before going to join the others in the kitchen? Anyway, tony simply hung out in the door way for a bit watching hands behind his back pulling down the sleeves of his shirt, no not his shirt, the shirt. None of this way his just like at Howards it Howard’s tony is simply borrowing it for now, which tony doesn’t mind he’s never had something of his own so he didn’t know what it felt like to not have something anymore. Tony glanced at the big clock behind Coulson it was artsy and industrial which was nice and fit the room, the hands read 9:45 and since it was morning it would 9:45 am meaning tony has been asleep for far too long. He’s missing days, things that happened, information wasn’t where it was supposed to be it was scrambled it made tony uneasy he didn’t feel like this unless Howard did something. ‘Maybe I hit my head’ tony though trying to reorganize his brain which was a sight to see or well Howard always said that, tony closes his eyes and begins the process. Hands come out from behind his back and beginning tapping on his legs at a constantly changing pace and rhythm, his eyes moved at the stream of light behind his lids and he whispered under his breath every though, every strand, anything in his mind would come streaming out under his breath. There was more out of place than tony had originally thought this was clearly not done by his hands maybe it happened when Howard smashed the vase over his head or when Obie threw him. Time ticked by and tony became lost in his head unaware that he had gained the attention from others, Coulson looked up and wandered over making sure tony was okay. Steve and Sam spotted Coulson moving and then noticed tony and they decided to check it out followed by Natasha, Clint and Bruce, Coulson tried talking to him softly but nothing worked. James came in late from the other end of the living and noticed the group and wandered over but stopped half way when the doorbell rang and everyone began moving again James opened the door and Coulson came up behind him. Angie was a very pretty woman with blonde curls and soft features, Coulson let her in and she followed him into the room noticing the other kids standing or sitting around what was another boy. Angie smiled and walked over to the group, her heels clicked softly and her skirt swayed with her hips until she stopped next to tony.  
‘tony. Anthony come back now’ Angie’s voice was soft but stern, Tony’s eyes snapped open and he whipped his head around to face Angie, his hands had stop to  
‘oh Angie’ tony huffed out and hugged her  
‘tony, I’m so glad you’re okay’ she had her face in his neck he was slightly taller than her but he was small to though only 5’8  
‘if this is okay then yeah I’m fine’ tony said sarcastically  
‘let me see’

 

Angie pulled back and tony let her touch the fading black eye, the finger marks on his neck and even let her pull off his shirt, some of the others in the room hadn’t seen and it wasn’t pretty, Angie gave a shaky breath at the sight. Bruises and cuts were everywhere varying in colour and size and a couple spots were still cover with gauze and tape, but the biggest worry was the huge mass of scars over Tony’s heart. Angie was quit when she handed back Tony’s shirt and silent as he pulled it back on wincing when he moved to fast or wrong, but once the shirt was on she burst into angry hot tears were running down her face. Tony was startled before trying to wipe them away and calm her down saying ‘I’m okay’ or ‘it’s fine’ but that wasn’t what she wanted to hear because she stamped her heel and turned storming across the room tony following like a distressed puppy.  
‘I am going to kill that man’ she growled   
‘no, no Angie I’m okay everything is fine it doesn’t hurt’ tony was trying to stop her hands hovering  
‘this is not alright Anthony look at you’ she spun to face him tears and anger still on her face  
‘well yeah okay it looks bad but I swear it doesn’t hurt nothing bad happened’ he sincerely believed that too  
‘I am going to fix this’ she stated before storming out the door and into her car  
tony ran out the door after her but stopped at the edge of the concrete front patio Angie’s car already speeding down the drive way, tony froze before swallowing and looking back Natasha and Clint had followed him. Natasha motioned for him to come back inside and tony gave one last glace back down the drive way Angie’s car gone before h walked over and pushed past them and back into the living room. He spotted Coulson and headed over,  
‘do you have a phone I can use?’ tony asked like nothing ever happen like Angie wasn’t here, like he was never in the hospital, or the night his father was taken, nothing had happened  
‘yeah sure here this one’ Coulson said grabbing a land line from the couch and tossing it to tony  
‘thank you’ tony said as he caught it and began dialing a number and waiting bouncing on the balls of his feet and chewing his lip,

 

‘hello?’ a voice it was older   
‘Jarvis?’ tony asked waiting  
‘Anthony?’  
‘yep look Angie is going after someone you need to stop her’  
‘I don’t understand she won’t hurt anyone’  
‘but she’ll try J’  
‘alright I’ll see what I can do’  
‘thanks and call pepper, she likes pepper’  
‘where are you?’  
“I don’t know J’  
‘do I need to..”  
“no not know anyway. Look I’m going to get someone to give you directions’  
‘alright, need I bring anything other than Angie”  
‘…no.. that’s it’  
‘very good sir’  
‘see you soon?’  
‘indeed sir’  
sighing through his nose tony handed the phone to Coulson who gave directions to the place before hanging up and looking at tony, who looked down making sure not to look at anyone in the room. Natasha was by his side quick and giving him a nudge making tony rock slightly to the side, she heard a soft ‘it’ll be fine’ before tony went back down the hall towards the room he woke up in. no one followed him and he was grateful for that in the room he closed the door and sat on the bed staring at his hands, he hurt Angie, he did something wrong again, he messed up, he made her mad. Tony didn’t hear the door open softly and then shut as equally soft but he noticed when someone sat down next to him the bed and he looked over, James had come in and sat down next to tony before laying back across the bed his knees and feet bumping Tony’s. he caught Tony’s eye and gently tugged the back of Tony’s shirt pulling him down until he lay next to James both their hands rested on their stomachs and they stared at the ceiling.

 

‘you know she aint bad at ya?’ James said his voice was soft  
‘she has to be’ tony said like a whisper  
‘she’s right though it’s not your fault’  
‘I shouldn’t have been found out’  
‘he almost killed you’  
‘he wouldn’t I know that it’s always to the edge but never over’  
‘she’s mad at him not you’  
‘yeah okay maybe but’  
‘there aint no but, ya mean a lot ta her’  
‘but I ruined everything’  
‘maybe but at least know he can’t get you’  
‘you don’t know the power of him and his partners’  
‘what do you mean’  
‘it’s best to not say anything’  
‘okay fair enough, you know your delusional right’  
‘yep, but sometimes you have to be it helps with lying and such if you believe it’  
‘that’s how you did it’  
‘that and more, whatever was necessary’   
James looked over at tony, his face was blank like he had no feeling or trauma but James saw the tiny muscles twitch and his eyes which told him otherwise, tony was fully aware of has happened and has been for years. Letting out a huff tony looked over at James and James could see the horror and pain in his honey colored eyes and it sucked because this incident which got his dad caught was barley scratching the surface. Tony’s eyes were wet but he didn’t cry in fact James bet he rarely cried even if he wanted to but it was a sign of weakness it wasn’t acceptable and it would only bring more punishment, James knew that, James had lived that. Time passed and all they did was watch each other until Bruce came in telling them that two cars were driving up a silver lambo and a red ferrari.


	3. Chapter 3

Tony and James sat up and followed Bruce outside to where everyone was waiting on the front patio, Tony looked at James before heading down the steps, James didn’t like the look on Tony’s face it was a look of defeat. Tony waited head down, hands in pocket pushing pebbles with his toes as the cars stopped each pointing a different way it looked like a scene in a movie when the doors to the cars opened. The one in front was a big burly man with white hair and beard, he was dressed to the nine in a black suit, the other car was different two people stepped out. The first a man older and dressed in military clothes showing how high ranked he was as he leaned on the door, he had black hair and a dark tan, while the other person was a woman dressed in a business suit and white heels. Her red hair was tied up high and she pulled off her sunglasses and looked straight at Tony with a stern gaze, Tony felt the gaze and looked up shyly. The first man in the suit walked up to Coulson while taking a document from his suit jackets inner pocket, as he passed Tony he gave the teen a quick flick in the each making him wince. While Coulson and the man seemed to argue over the document, the woman walked up the Tony and bent down so she was eye level with him and began speaking in Italian. Tony frowned and began talking back in Italian just as fast as the woman if not faster and their conversation quickly escalated to shouts and flying arm gestures. The man in the uniform was jogging over placing himself between Tony and the women, a hand on each their chests keeping them apart and trying to get into the conversation. The argument caught the man’s attention and quickly left Coulson alone as he ran over to the arguing pair and grabbed Tony’s upper arm dragging him away slightly while the army man pushed the woman back.   
“ENOUGH!!” the man in the suit yelled stopping the pair  
“David why don’t you take Allia back to the car” David nodded and began steering a mad Allia   
“Anthony enough, calm down” the man was talking to Tony and loosened his grip letting Tony drop it  
“Ivan, why are you here?” Tony fixed his shirt and smoothed back his curls standing tall  
“News of Howard has reached Italy” Ivan said knowing Tony would get the hint  
“I see” he said slowly  
“They are on the way back as we speak, we flew ahead” Ivan said as he looks to David and Allia  
“And what’s to happen?” Tony stared at Allia  
“I believe you already have a good idea” Ivan said as Allia got into the car and David gave them a thumbs up  
“Did you bring it then?”   
“Of course” 

And Ivan stepped away back to the car and pulled out a large briefcase and brought it back to Tony, Tony nodded and took the case before going back into the house and into a washroom locking the door behind him. Twenty minutes later he stepped out completely different, his hair was pulled back and bobby pinned, he had on red tinned sunglasses and carried the empty briefcase in his hand. He was dressed in an expensive black pin stripped suit, with a black dress shirt and red tie with black leather shoes, he wore a gold watch and a few rings that looked like they had a purpose, and in his breast pocket was a red pocket square. Tony strutted past the stunned eyes and threw the case at Ivan who caught it and bowed at the waist before looking and smiling a shark smile.  
“Welcome back Anthony Edward Stark” He purred at Tony who scowled at him  
“Wait! What’s going on?” Coulson was still holding the document  
“I’m afraid my time here is done; I have things to do and people to please” Tony said not looking back as Ivan went back to the car  
“But” that was Bruce  
“Sorry, this is how it is but not to worry this won’t happen again” Tony said as he walked away he got half way to the car before freezing  
“You mean no one will know what’s behind closed doors?” James shouted   
“This is the world James, and I have never been a child. This is my world and I have to go back” Tony had turned to look at him sunglasses pushed onto his head before he sighed and pulled them back on and turning away and getting into the passenger seat of the silver lambo as the engines of both cars started. They pulled away kicking up a dust storm in their wake leaving everyone somewhat stunned, Coulson retreated into the house possibly to make phone calls while the group stayed on the porch in varies spaces. Bruce was first to say something,

“Hey James?” causing the teen to look his way  
“What did you mean when you said that thing about closed doors?” Bruce was looking at him  
“I don’t know a lot but I could read between the lines” James looked away from him  
“And that is?” Clint now then  
“I believe that Tony was used to make better deals and was beaten far worse than we can imagine and such” He said staring at his feet  
“Bucky that’s-“ Steve  
“He said what every is necessary and that he didn’t mind being delusional it was better that way” Natasha caught his eye  
“He’s in danger huh?” she asked  
“Don’t know maybe” and with that they piled back into the compound. 

On Tony’s side things were moving whether for better or not but it could be worse he liked Ivan and David he trusted them and even if Allia and him fought a lot he knew she would get him out if it got to that point. Sighing he relaxing into the seat and listened to the music that was playing in the car and closed his eyes, this meant that his mother and her family are back in the states after his mother ran to Italy. He didn’t hate his mother or her family but they were strict and always had to be perfect not a hair out of place no matter where or when, and now since Tony and Howard have seemed to have become the number one trending topic everywhere it was going to be something. He didn’t know how they would react or what they would do, he sat up straight and opened his eyes becoming serious.

“Ivan?” Tony didn’t look at Ivan as he talked  
“Yes sir?” Ivan kept his eyes on the road  
“Do you know what they want?”  
“No but trust me if I see anything out of place I will get you out of there”  
“and if they don’t let that happen?”  
“I have David and Allia”

Tony jutted out is lip and furrowed his brow thinking it over before nodding and agreeing as they pulled up the mansion, Tony gave it a good look he hadn’t been here since Howard was taken away. Someone cleaned it up, it looked like nothing happened and it was a little unsettling to see the expensive cars all pulled out and lining the curved drive way, he snapped out of it as they pulled to a stop. Ivan and Tony got out as David walked past to check the grounds while Allia came up behind him, he leaned against her as Ivan went ahead, she ran her manicured nails against his next before patting his shoulder. Tony knew that was a signal to move and he straightened his jacket and squared his shoulders knowing Allia would follow closely behind.   
Ivan and David were on either side of the front doors and pushed them open entering as Tony followed behind Allia at his back they headed to where everyone would be gathered, living room. It looked like a mob movie come to life all his family members on couches and chairs their guards or people behind them, everyone dressed to the nine and Tony knew they had weapons hidden on them. Tony slid into a plush chair that seemed to swallow him but even so the tension in the air was explosive and everyone smelled of money and power Tony included, this was no different, this was his life he doesn’t get to take another path this what he was bred for and raised for.  
Back at the compound the mood was solemn at the fact someone had taken Tony and they didn’t know if the situation could go south and how quickly it could but Coulson wasn’t wasting time he was calling everyone. He got nothing until he got a hold of Fury, Fury had an in,  
“Coulson?” Fury asked  
“Yes, sorry. How much do you have on Anthony Stark’s mother?” Coulson asked putting it on speaker for everyone else to hear  
“You’re playing with fire, Phil”  
“I guessed that when three people took Tony away this morning”  
“Three people? A woman, a military man, and a huge guy in a suit?”  
“Yeah how’d you know?”  
“That would-be Anthony’s hard hitters, it means that there’s a family reunion and its scary than hell”   
“I don’t understand”  
“Look Howard may have been at the top but he married up, Maria is something like mob royalty”  
“She’s in the mob?!”  
“No but her family are ruthless business people, scarier than Hitler that lot.”  
“And we have no way to Anthony?”  
“I wouldn’t say that but give it a day, something will have happened by then”

Fury hung up and Coulson stared at the phone and slowly they all dispersed into different areas or back to their rooms. But they waited they waited one day and then while watching the news they saw the reason Fury was quite concerned of them going after him. Maria led the procession of very high end people and surrounded by guards that looked like trained assassins, Tony was one step behind his mother dressed in the outfit as yesterday. They were followed by three young women, two boys and four elders as they headed to the cars that look more expensive than the house cost. Maria Stopped and Tony stopped beside her as the other got into cars and drove off leaving Maria, Tony and six guards, at the edge of the walk way, Maria bent down and whispered something into his ear and tony pushed his sunglasses up onto the flattened curls. He looked at her unsure before she smiled and kissed his check and nose and then walked away her hand slowly and gently sliding off his shoulder as she walked away, her expression was soft and a little sad. Tony watched after his mother until the car was nowhere in sight, they watched as Ivan noticed the cameras and talked into a hidden mic up his sleeve and David slipped out of the shot. Before the cameras turned off they watched as Allia bent down laying across Tony’s shoulder talking to him in hushed tones before nodded and turned walking back into the house Allia on his heel.

It was strange but Coulson could start digging again which he did, the others just watched the TV unsure of what to do or feel. Once in the house Tony loosened his tie before pulling it off and slipping out of his jacket setting them on a chair as he walked past sunglasses were thrown onto a surface as he continued down the halls. He walked with purpose but it was soft and tired, his hair was still wild and curly in the back and where the bobby pins stop and let the curls stay tight and back, he had a job to do. Tony stopped at the office before taking a deep breath and walking in swiping his arms across the desk pushing everything off with a crash before sitting into the leather titan chain and leaning back looking at Allia in the door.   
She gave him a tired smile and he returned it before rubbing his hands over his face and sighing as he leaned his head back against the chair. Tony strangely missed the others he met, he liked Natasha and James was interesting, he didn’t know the others well but they seemed nice, but it’s not like he could go back. There was no excuse Tony stayed away for the selfish reason of forgetting them it was better for everyone that way and he did for six months until there was a knock at the door.  
Tony answered it hair pulled back and held back by bobby pins, he wore a white t-shirt that was slightly dirty with grease and soot, dirty jeans and untied combat boots, his big rimmed glasses sitting on his head. Tony was looking down as he opened the door before looking up and seeing some very familiar faces staring back at him,  
“How did you get in here?” he asked confused  
“We got a call form a very fierce Italian woman” Coulson said with a smile, tony scrunch his brows together  
“Couldn’t have been mom she doesn’t do call and she doesn’t know-“ it dawned on him before he could finish talking as he stormed back into the house leaving the door open  
“Allia! I swear to god Allia! If you have anything to do with this!” they could hear him yelling when a familiar face popped into view   
“Woah she really did it” David stood in awe looking at the group before waving them in  
“Man he is going tear her apart” David laughed as he leads them deeper into the house  
“And why?” Clint asked  
“Let’s just say Tony doesn’t do people or feeling or anything. You are something” David winked as they came to a big ballroom  
Ivan stood against one of the walls leaning against it arms crossed watching as Tony yelled at the woman in about seven different languages, Allia always stayed just out of his reach as he swung another vase in her direction it smashed into the wall shattering. Tony yelled in frustration before giving up and tilting his up towards the ceiling taking deep breathes and then looking to Ivan who just smirked at him.  
“Oh Tony boy” David cat called and Tony’s head snapped in his direction  
“David that is not funny” he ground out as Allia walked over giving his shoulder a squeeze and pushing him in the direction of the group  
“This shouldn’t have happened” He muttered  
“Too late” Natasha said as she and Bruce slammed into him wrapping their arms around him  
“Anthony you need this” Allia’s voice was soft behind him heavy with an Italian accent, Tony opened his mouth to reply when David cut him off  
“OH for god’s sake Tony it doesn’t hurt to look outside once and while”  
“I don’t have time” Tony mumbled but he sunk into their hold but not returning

“One week Anthony, one week” Ivan said flicking his ear as he, David, Allia and Coulson exited the room leaving the teens alone in the room and as soon as the door shut Clint, Sam and Steve rushed over to join the group hug, only James held back. Sighing Tony just let it happen before they pulled back and he slid his glasses back over his eye and set a hand on his hip, he wasn’t upset per say but he was a little annoyed with it all. Tony sighed again and admitted defeat letting them stay the week here if nothing went wrong, and that he would show them to their rooms and told them the rooms were behind him and they could explore if they wished. Certain areas where locked so he didn’t need to worry about that, Tony watched them go before looking back at James who was sauntering his way over. His face was like normal stern and cold but when he came up next to Tony he brushed his fingers along Tony’s next as Tony tilted away from them. They sized each together up before James went to follow the others and Tony touch the spot where he could still feel James’s feather like touch, it was different usually he felt Howards hands around his neck.

Tony followed them seeing where they ended up in the mansion and granted it took him a bit the house was big after all, he heard sounds coming from the rec room and headed in that direction. Sure, enough they were there checking everything out and laughing Tony’s lips quirked up at the sight as he stood in the door way watching, he jumped slightly when a finger hooked into his belt loop and tugged him next to a body, James’s body to be precise. He watched Tony with a look that made Tony squirm whether because Tony might have developed a sliver of a crush on him or that the look seemed he pierced him and saw everything. It took a while but Tony loosened up and joined the group and even laughed maybe once or twice before he showed the to the dining hall where everyone ate and then Tony showed them to their rooms.   
It was late Tony could tell from the moons positon outside the huge glass pains, Tony was working on something for the family and had gotten comfortable, taking out the bobby pins and throwing on a big sweater. Tony groaned when he looked at the half-finished stack of papers and dropped his head onto the desk causing it to thunk and Tony to groan again seeing as he just hit his head on the desk. Tony heard steps in the halls but figured it was someone looking for a bathroom or someone doing rounds, he didn’t except to hear a chuckle from the door way. Tony glanced up and saw James leaning against the door frame arms crossed and dressed for bed already, topless and bare foot with black sleep pants on.

“Well don’t you look comfy” Tony snarked him before sitting back in the chair  
“And you should be going to bed it’s like 3am and I’m pretty sure you haven’t slept in a very long time” James moved more into the room and closer to the desk  
“Well aren’t you observant” Tony swung the chair little back and forth and scowled  
“What’s the harm in taking a week off?” James asked he was standing on the other side of desk now  
“Nothing, but I don’t take days off” Tony tilted his chin up and looked away  
“I’m sure your mom would want it, you’re still healing too”   
“I’m fine just a few cuts and bruises left thank you very much and I’m sure she would but that’s not how it works” Tony said looking back at James  
“He’s not hear you know, you can do whatever you want whenever”   
“Maybe but there are a lot of people that will not see me fail”  
“As in?”  
“As in if I don’t there will be repercussions”   
“Then how about just tonight and finish when you get up later?” James was bargaining with him  
“One night” Tony said firmly before standing up and stretching and following James out of the room.

James went back to the room he was staying in and Tony went to his changing into his night clothes and climbing into the big bed curling under the covers and asleep before he even hit the pillows. By the time Tony wakes up again the sun is setting and Tony has a feeling he missed a lot but he told James last night it would just be the night, and got up heading to the bathroom and showering. Once he blow dried his curls and slipped on a headband before changing into looser skinny jeans that were of a softer material and then a tank top and hoodie and stepped out of the room into a very family chest, Tony sighed.  
“Why James it seems we’re making this a habit” Tony said looking up at him Tony’s finger touch the top of James’s jeans  
“Maybe it’s our magnetic personalities?” James leans back a bit   
“heh alright I’ll give you that” Tony leans in a bit  
“And I guess it’s back to work?” James smirks as Tony leaned in  
“Mmh” Tony’s slid half closed as he looked up a James  
“Need company?” James’s tongue darted out against his lower lip  
“Only if your offering?” Tony pulls away and struts down the hall

James watches for a minute before running after Tony hands still in his pockets as he slows to walk a step behind Tony, who was hiding the slight blush that had crept up his face. James ducked down and watched as Tony tried to ignore him and the blush that had crept up, James laughed softly as the rounded the corner to the office. Tony pushes the door open as James quickly pushes him in and the against the wall, hands trapping Tony to the wall as he stares down into Tony’s unimpressed stare.  
“Gonna kill me?” He asks staring James dead in the eye  
“Never, however I think someone else has plans to”   
And with that James glances up before pulling Tony to the floor as someone opens fire on them, Tony and James crawl to the desk and flip it over using it as cover from the gun fire. The whole house was alive with fire fights and screaming, windows breaking and things exploding in the distance. James looks for a way out while Tony opens a hatch on the floor in front of them and pulls out two knives and two hand guns, Tony takes a knife and slips it into his jeans and picks up the gun checking the ammo in it. James looks back over and doesn’t hesitate he takes the other knife and gun and follows suit until both are armed waiting for fire to cease or at least lesson up a bit. James grabs Tony’s hand pulling towards him just as a bullet pierces the desk and is on course to Tony’s torso..


	4. Chapter 4

The dust and bullets stopped and it was like the world was holding its breath until an airy laugh broke the silence. James was behind a bookcase that had opened into a secret panic room when he hit a button on the desk accidentally, and pulled himself and Tony into it and rolled until they were a tangle of limbs on the floor. James on his back and Tony on top unscratched. The bullet had missed Tony was unharmed and James was so relieved as he threw an arm over his eyes, gun still in hand as Tony laughed relieved himself that he wasn’t hit. Tony tucked his head against James’s shoulder clutching at his shirt, it was all good, they were fine, and it was such a stupid relief that fell over them. They knew only a few feet away there were who knows how many people armored and shooting to kill them, their friends could be dead, Tony’s guards could be dead, Coulson could be dead. But the pain and the relief were like a drug making them forget for even just a moment that they could be dead in seconds and joining the others soon only to later be dragged out in body bags.

James let his arm fall out to the side and looked up catching a grate on the ceiling, a vent and a way out. James scrambled up pulling Tony with him before busting the grate cover open and hauling Tony’s ass into the vent before following him and closing the vent again before moving to catch up with Tony. They were scared and relieved but they needed to find everyone and made mental threats that if anyone was hurt they swear to god- A bang makes them freeze it’s coming their way through the vents, James pushes Tony behind him and lines up a shot only to get a face full of red hair. 

Natasha had bumped into James it was a relief and behind Natasha was Bruce and Clint. The five of them held hands and patted shoulders before catching each other up and making a plan. They were missing Sam, Steve, Coulson David, Ivan and Allia, granted David, Ivan and Allia could hold their own and were to be presumed alive, Coulson was trained in who knows what so he should be fine too. Sam and Steve though weren’t and could be anywhere in the house so they back tracked to where they were last seen, it was the pool room. Chlorine filled the vent with hot muggy air and the sound of water lapping could be heard, the waves made patterns where they could be seen through the vent. It was quiet but they needed to check and it wasn’t safe to get out of the vents yet so they split up covering the vent in and around the pool room until Clint let out a soft shout. 

They or Clint had found Sam and Steve hiding in the locker room granted they were hidden good and would put up a fight but this was better. Clint pried the grate off and stuck his head in whisper shouting at them, their heads whipped around to see Clint before they did a quick check around the room. They dashed from their cover and over to the vent where Clint and Bruce pulled them up from opposite sides of the vent and then placing the grate back on and crawling to an intersection of vents. In the north vent James laid down making room for Tony on top of him and Natasha beside him, In the south Clint and Bruce and in the west Steve and Sam laid down. They needed a plan and Clint said as much,

“We need a plan” It was a statement  
“Me and Tony are armed but barley” James said as Tony pulled the gun into view  
“What do we do?” It was Sam  
“For now let’s assume that the adults are fine” Steve  
“How about home-aloning this shit?” Everyone turned to Bruce who shrunk back  
“That’s a good idea, a really good idea” Tony said before chewing on his bottom lip  
“Okay I got it this is the plan..”

Sam and Steve would take the control room and barracked themselves in and taking back control of the mansion and monitoring the intruders. Clint and Bruce took a knife and headed for the kitchen to stock up on supplies and the provide air support from the vents. Natasha, Tony and James would go and see if they could do anything about thinning out the intruders and spreading them apart. All adults are to be presumed alive and recovered.

Sam and Steve kicked in the grate and hoped down into the control room and quickly began barricading themselves in and making sure no one could get in and there was one exit, the vent. Once sealed they turned to the monitors and screens and alarm systems, Sam took count and location of the intruders before relaying the information the others using their cellphones and they watched them to warn the others or he spotted him something important. Steve took care of the alarms triggering the silent alarm and triggering the alarms that would call in some heavy-duty reinforcements, before setting off the sprinkles and cutting the lights making the red emergency lights to come on leaving red patches of light here and there. The doors to the house along with windows slammed shut and couldn’t be broken or opened.

They began to scramble.

Clint and Bruce left the vent silently before grabbing arms full of things they could use or even things they didn’t need stuffing them back into the vent, before following suit and climbing back in the assemble their weapons. Clint used the knife he got from Bucky and Tony to cut things apart before using them somewhere else and so on making well, make shirt weapons. Things like sling shots, stink bombs, smoke bombs, and gathering things to throw, like eggs. Bruce with his knowledge in science made even better bombs that maybe couldn’t kill but would defiantly harm and made some gross concoctions too. They suited up and began following Sam’s directions to the intruders near them. 

They began to panic and act recklessly.

Natasha took the gun and split off from Tony and James and began picking them off randomly and at over one person from one group at a time. James and Tony split up and searched the rooms the goons were grouping around and sure enough the adults were behind door number three safe and sound. Ish. Tony knocked in the gate and cut the ropes freeing them and bringing them in on the plan before disappearing into the ducks again and bumping into James quite hard. James and Tony took a minute to jog themselves straight before untangling and heading back to the intersection they met everyone at in the first place and luckily everyone else had the same idea. From there on things moved quickly police and SWAT arrived and took out the rest of the goons hauling some off in cuffs others in body bags while the adults were questioned and the group of teens piled out of the vents. 

James and Steve went down first before helping Clint, Bruce and Sam down who brushed off whatever they covered themselves in and stretched out the cramps they got from being in the ducts. Steve helped Natasha out and Tony braced his hands-on James shoulders as he pulled himself out of the vents head first, because he’s stupid, and luckily James caught him around the waist before they both crashed. Instead they wobbled a bit trying to stabilize themselves before fixing themselves up and joining the rest at the doors and heading out they weren’t far from where everything was going down. And it made it easy to get caught up in the questioning and being checked out by the medics on site, and of course though things didn’t quiet down until much much later. 

When things settled down it was already the next evening an entire day was lost to these goons and their lame tactics but none the less things were going to be changed and they needed to eat. Coulson and the others headed for the kitchen while Tony headed to the office to make somethings changed before he would join them and obviously, James joined him. In the office Tony and James righted the office and Tony found his cell which he used to call and set up about six meeting for later in the week to change the way things were going to go down including what’s going to happen to the company. 

 

It’s not until much later that things happened Coulson and the others left for the compound not long after they ate, and cleaning crews were called for the mansion. Tony showered and changed into a suit, a three piece all black suit and black shoes before taking one of the unharmed cars to the SI tower. Huge changes were made in the following few days, Pepper became CEO and Tony took to the shadows of the company, the guards were called off to make it harder to find Tony, then mansion was closed off and so were the other large well known places that the Starks owned. Tony moved into a nice apartment near the outskirts of the city and kept a low profile until things cooled off to like freezing, he had to many high-profile moments for a while thank you very much.

(*~*)

Tony’s apartment was a three-bedroom loft style in a brick apartment building for the middle wage and slightly above; the walls were light grey and beige trim and cabinets, the kitchen was all new and modern, so were the bathrooms. The overall look was clean but Tony brought in some of his own things which brought life and color into the apartment even if they didn’t quite match the overall theme. Bright colored furniture well used, bright dishes, old and new books stacked in corners where they didn’t fit on shelves, machines and machine parts where everywhere like literally everywhere. There was a huge TV and about twelve computers, six tables and StarkPads, and seven cell phones, and three little robots that tided up after him and kept him company. Tony only kept two cars low key but still expansive and had a little flare and of course his own security system that were controlled and checked by himself personally, and Pepper kept the fridge and pantry stocked.

(*~*)

Everyone slowly started to move on and went their own ways. Sam, Steve and James entered the army and were often deployed around the world fighting or on reserves. Bruce went to college and then started working in a lab famous for Biophysics and Gamma radiation. Clint when and joined a secret agency possibly FBI or CIA, Tony didn’t snoop on it. And Natasha went and joined a ballet company for a few years before she joined Clint at whatever Agency he had entered. And Tony never really left the apartment, he did his robotics from the apartment which he had redone to suit his needs, and did the odd military tour or flew around the world to learn something or go to something Pepper made him go to. Tony still made weapons but he also started doing clean energy and making the medical field better, even for field use and of course making things to better defend troops overseas. 

Tony had shut himself away in a sense but no one could ever figure out why and no one tried to stop him because he did what he needed to do, and he hasn’t been in touch with any of the teens since the night they left. And now Tony’s 22 and its 5 years later. Tony had gone off the deep end into drugs, alcoholism, sex and whatever else before Pepper forced him into rehab and of course the tabloids covered it. Like they covered seven suicide attempts by various means, abusive relationships he ended up in, attacks on his life and whatever else Tony did. It’s after Tony’s second stint at rehab that things change;

Tony walked out of the rehab gates and down the stairs stretching his arms over his head and closing his eyes and he felt the stretch. He jogged down the long concrete staircase to the parking lot and entry lot converse deck his feet and his legs were wrapped in black skinny jeans his wallet in his pocket connected to his jeans by a silver chain. Phone in his front pocket and white t-shirt finished it off but he wasn’t expecting a crowd to arrive just the usual black car with tinted windows. No instead he got an angry Pepper in her grey dress and petti coat tapping her stiletto heel, and a gang of teens that had grown up, not cool Pepper, not cool at all. 

Tony looked them over from left to right; Sam had grown now pushing six foot and muscles he didn’t have before; he had tinted sunglasses on and wore simple jeans and a t-shirt and oddly leather dress shoes. Clint was taller but only maybe hitting 5’11 and had grown muscles too but his were less noticeable, he wore sneakers and cargo shorts with a tank top on and his arms were crossed over his chest. Bruce was closer to Tony’s height about 5’7 and of course wasn’t notably stronger but Tony can guess, he wore a green polo shirt and kakis with runners and he was looking down fiddling with the hem of his shirt. Steve was a shock he matched Sam and James height and was about as buff as James and of course had the all-American hair and clothes, blue jeans and a tight white shirt, he didn’t look very impressed. Surprise, not. Natasha was pretty, just like he remembers like Bruce she was close in height and slim but she had muscle definition, her hair was long pulled back into a pony tail and she was wearing a pair of yoga pants with sneakers and a blue button up. James was last he grew in every aspect of the word and now had a handful of tattoos, his left arm was missing and replaced by a very complex sleek robotic one. His hair was longer brushing his shoulders and of course had his resting bitch face on, dressed in a leather jacket dark grey T and ripped jeans stuffed into combat boots.

Tony sighed and stopped at the second landing placing a hand on his hip and jutting it out a bit, he was very unimpressed these people were barley in his life and she had rallied them for what?   
“Pepper really? Not cool Pep, not cool” Tony said in a monotone voice  
“I had no choice Tony! This is going too far” She was angry and upset pleading with him  
“Oh really?” not the best time to be sarcastic Tony  
“I can’t handle you anymore” Pepper was almost crying  
“And who asked you too? Huh? What Pepper?” Tony was a bit nasty placing a hand his ear like he couldn’t hear  
“Tony-” She didn’t get to finish  
“This is shit. I’m calling another ride” Tony stands up full posture then and takes out his phone  
“Alright that’s enough!” A new voice, Clint  
“Excuse me Blondie?” Tony chided like a white girl  
“Look we only wanna help Tony” Steve   
“Oh sure apple pie, that went so well five years ago” more white girl attitude   
“Tony you’re being a bitch” Clint again  
“God what are you my dad?!” Tony was now focusing on them  
“No we-“  
“Shut up Roger Rabbit”   
“Anthony Edward Stark, you will listen to me and do it well” That new voice sent chills down his spine, as Howard himself stepped out of the car that had come in during the commotion  
“What the Fuck!?” Tony nearly dropped his cell  
“Get down here now” Howards voice was ice and he didn’t raise it once  
“OH My God” And Tony sprinted

Tony dropped the cell and spun on his heels before sprinting in the direction of the rehab doors where he could at least lock them and have some time to get out of there but no Howard had thought of that. Tony was slammed into by two huge dudes dressed in black and wearing wires, one of them tossed Tony over their shoulder and headed back to the cars. But Tony was trying his damn hardest to get away screaming, kicking, hitting, hell he tried everything, but no monster muscles hear had a grip of steal. Pepper was arguing with Howard and so were some of the others, he decided to call them the avengers after a show he watched not too long ago. But no one could stop them from literally tossing Tony into the back seat and locking him in as he scrambled to get out of the car but the muscle men simply got into the front and Howard joined him in the back. He was locked in with Howard and suddenly he felt the sharp sting of a punch as Howard literally started beating him. 

All Pepper and the others heard when the car sped away was screaming from both Tony and Howard and the soft noise of someone being hit. Pepper was immediately on the phone with police and everyone else split into groups of two taking vehicles from motorcycles to hummers and sped off after them. They needed to try hard since the car was breaking the speed laws and had already disappeared from sight but if they thought about it and put the pieces together they figured they would head for the mansion where it all started. With that idea, they headed towards the mansion hoping to intercept the car and get Tony out alive and hopefully not to beaten. Pepper had joined the police and headed for the mansion as well to catch Howard when he got there if he made it around the ‘avengers’ that is and someone hadn’t got Tony yet, Pepper was trying not to cry in this whole mess. No one caught them before they reached the mansion and arrived minutes after word rushing the car with the police and some went to Pepper as she fell down hands to her mouth.

They followed her gaze and watched as James pulled an unconscious Tony from the back seat of the car bloody and bruised, while police hauled Howard out the other side of the car with some difficulty. James carefully pulled Tony out and into his arms bridal style as Tony’s head lulled onto his shoulder and his hand hung limp by his side, blood dripping from the tips of his fingers. James was shaking slightly as he pulled Tony out, eyes never leaving his prone form as he tried not to look into the back seat, which was undoubtedly covered in blood and probably a little wrecked as well. Once he had Tony in his arms he quickly moved over to the approaching ambulance as Clint held Natasha back from going after Howard, Bruce helped Pepper up and Steve and Sam helped the police detain Howards goons.

Tony put up a fight though that was clear since Howard himself was quite bruised and even had a shoe print on his face from where Tony must have kicked him. No one knew how Howard got out or how he got to Tony, but it was clear he wasn’t over losing Tony and everything else since the second he got his hands on Tony he was beating him.

Tony screamed as the goons threw him in the car and scrambled to open the door pulling at the handle, pounding on the window and even kicking the door put nothing happened until the goons stepped in and started the engine. Howard climbed in and grabbed Tony by the neck before slamming his fist into Tony’s face, who screamed when Howard started to beat him viciously. Tony fought back he kicked Howard and punched back, hell he even bit Howard at one point buy Howard had the upper hand and Tony slowly lost the ability to fight back as Howard continued to dish out years of punishment and anger. Tony was out of it before he could hear the sirens following the car and Howard screaming at the goons to lose them, it was nothing after a while just black nothingness.


	5. Chapter 5

Tony was placed into the ambulance and pepper went with him while the avengers stayed until the police took away Howard and the others. it was clear they were all wondering how that man had gotten out and how he knew where to find his son though maybe he read the papers since they seemed to share every bit of Tony's life they could. They slowly started to head back to towards they hospital all thinking of the call they had gotten not so long ago from Pepper that they didnt know just from one small mention all those years ago. 

"Hello? Is this ___" they voice had said a young female unsure and perhaps nervous  
"Yes this is ___. who is this?" they would awnser back in some way but that was the base line of them all  
"My name is Virginia Potts but people call me Pepper. Im a close friend of Tony Starks and also his assistant" She said seeming relived to find the right person  
"How can I help you?" Curious and suspicious but they woman, no Pepper seemed to expect it  
"Have you been keeping up with the news?" Pepper asked momentarily distracted   
"No" or "Yes" would come back to her  
"Well either way you seemed to have known Tony for a while and seemed to maybe be willing to help him-no sorry help me about a problem. You dont have too if not we wont be bothering you again" She said rushed in areas and unsure the whole way through  
"Is something wrong" They would ask and then from there somehow they all managed to get together waiting outside the rehab clinic on that hot sunny day.

They soon found themselves in the hospital and found themselves outside a room with curtain drawn and two figures inside just shadows to them. Inside; Tony regained consciousness and slowly sat up, sore he winced and could see bruises and cuts forming or formed some bleeding slowly. He looked up and saw Pepper waiting she was quiet just watching him lips pressed tightly together and red faced hands clenched together in her lap. her knees were slightly dirty and her hair was a bit a mess but she looked intact for the most part after Tony looked her over seeing she was unharmed he noticed the shirt in her lap and noticed the one he was wearing was ripped from the fight in the back of the car.

"Are you hurt Pepper?" Tony asked taking off his shirt an tossing it to the end of the bed  
"I'm fine but you arent" Pepper said passing him the other shirt  
"I'll be fine Pepper you know that" Tony said slightly muffled as he pulled on the shirt this time a black long sleeve  
"I know" Pepper said voice soft almost strained as she looked down in her lap  
"Come on Pep" Tony said giving her a small smile

They left the room and found the others waiting and sitting around seeming stressed and a little roughed up, James even had blood on his shirt but it seemed out of place for a fight Tony though and figured maybe it was James that pulled him out from the car when the others caught up to them. They seemed to have noticed the two of them coming out and of course they checked on him and Tony said he was fine of course and waved them off as Pepper went to sign the release forms for him. Tony though did agree to house them for a week in one of his houses and even said he would be there for the most part but when questioned about the charges Tony of course said he wasnt pressing any and like before from when he was a kid he had no intention of sending Howard to prison or anywhere else besides Tony didnt live with him anymore nor did he need to. They let it drop for now when Tony's phone rang and he moved away to awnser it and eventually followed the pair being Pepper and Tony back to the house with their bags in tow, the house was nice smaller and more warm feeling but still big enough to house them all comfortably.

(*~*)

The air is tense and slightly uncomfortably over the next few days but slowly it becomes more comfortable and relaxed and soon enough maybe a week in and yes Tony is allowing them there longer is nice not great or fully relaxed but its nice and things are working out well for the most part and they seem to e becoming closer even if its going slower than a snail but hey its something and even tony is slowly starting to relax. Its maybe at the two week mark that things kind of change for everyone Tony is still working to hard for to long and is coming back from meetings every now and then with bruising or a split lip but being Tony he says nothing and waves them off and the others are getting out of the honeymoon feeling as well falling back into their own rhythm and becoming more like themselves. Whether surprised or not some of them didnt get on the best of terms but it wasnt anything bad but then again even the best of friends and even lovers dont always get along so there was no problem with that. Even the avengers themselves had grown somewhat apart and had their own cliques and friends outside of the group, Tony included finally out of from under Howards hand he managed to connect with friends like James Rhodes or Rodney and Pepper as well as people like Harry Hogan or Happy.

(*~*)

On the third week Tony wakes up first and pins back his hair while he grabs out a pair of ripped jeans and an oversized t-shirt before grabbing his phone and checking it, eleven thirty am, fair enough Tony thought wandering into the large common room and surprised to see no one else up or at lease signs of no one else being up yet. Tony was just about to make something to eat when the sound of the door bell came blaring into his ears and seemingly woken everyone else up as well as people seemed to slowly trickle in and the bell kept going, sleepy and confused they all looked at the door which felt a little ominous to be honest.

"I really dont want to open the door" Tony muttered feeling shivers down his spine as he looked down the dark hallway to the door  
"I dont either. It feels wrong" Clint said making a face as he looked down at the door  
"I'll go check the peephole" Steve said walking down and they all felt like he was a cow being led to slaughter   
"Who is it?" Sam asked looking at him  
"Um? a gun?" Steve said before nearly breaking his neck as he turned to face them wide eyed  
"A gun!!" Bruce says as they all go wide eyed and run for cover no waiting to see if the person actually fires at them  
"The fuck?!" Tony says as James pulls him down behind the kitchen island with Bruce  
"All you saw was a gun?" Natasha asks where she and Clint are hiding from the door way of a room  
"Yeah a gun blocking whoever or many whoevers behind it" Steve says as he and Sam hide behind a couch  
'What do we do now?" Bruce says nervously as he looks at everyone  
"Say no-ones home?" Clint suggests   
"Really" Sam and Steve deadpan him  
"Hey" Clint said slightly offended   
"No-Ones Home!!" Tony shouts before any more arguing can be heard  
"Tony" Everyone harshly whispers surprised  
"What" Tony says wrinkling his nose at them making a face  
"This is the FBI you have three seconds to open this door" A voice shouted from the door  
"Anyone believe that" Sam asks  
"ONE"   
"Who the fuck would believe that" Natasha says shaking her head  
"TWO"  
"Follow me" Tony says leading the way  
"THREE" and the door gets kicked in

People charge in guns first but when the reach the area where the young adults had been previously there was no-one there unbeknown to the FBI or whoever not that it would matter under the kitchen island was a secret tunnel to the garage across the yard and from the garage was another tunnel out to the nearby woods where the group quickly exited and made their way to a little shack where Tony called someone for something maybe verifying the FBI if that was really them and what they wanted if they were really. Never let it be said that Tony Stark was ever unprepared okay so on occasion he can be unprepared but lets be honest even if he was he was smart enough that within a few minutes he would have a plan or something. After a little while the mess was cleaned up turns out they were the real FBI and were looking for was something that involved a software thing but whatever it didnt matter it wasnt a big deal or anything so they group went back to the house and settled in for the night.


End file.
